<p>how long is too long for the UVA supplement essays? It says "roughly" 250 words. Is 285 too much?</p>
<p>see if you can cut it down a little bit. Have someone else edit it for you and see if they can find places to make things more concise. You should be okay though; admissions just doesn't want you running way over the limit. If you leave it at 285, you should be fine. If you can cut a little out here and there and still maintain the effect you want your essay to have, then cut it.</p>
<p>Try to read it out loud. Make every word count. When you read 250 word essays for a living you probably notice extra length. I know its tough, those essays are the worst part of the app. db's advice is solid. Get a second opinion, maybe your English teacher, but be sure it is someone with killer editing skills.</p>
<p>I get the impression that essays are an important part of the package.
Good luck.</p>
<p>What do you think is an acceptable word count?</p>
<p>The rule of thumb for an acceptable essay length is +/- 10% extra, so: essay length +/- .10*essay length, or less. So a 250 essay can swing from 225-275. Try to cut out a few words here an there, but if you fall in that range, you should be ok.</p>
<p>Be careful when submitting your essays. Last year I realized, weeks after the fact, that I sent in the wrong version of an essay to CH. It is a miracle I got admitted with that shoddy work. With the pressure of meeting all of those deadlines mistakes are bound to happen but you will cringe when you discover it.</p>
<p>Well, they say "a half page or roughly 250 words." Both of mine are less than a half page but in the 280-290 word range. Since they put the "half page" first, I didn't even really focus on the word count, just the length. (mine are Times New Roman 12 pt, 1 inch margins, single space, etc. - all very standard for length purposes). </p>
<p>So I think if you're over 250, you're good as long as you're within the half-page restriction. That's what I got from the instructions at any rate...anyone else interpret them similarly?</p>
<p>You all are reading into this a bit too much. A few extra words isn't a big deal. 3/4 of a page (single spaced) would need some editing.</p>